1946 Cleveland Browns "Sears" Team Set

[jp1216]

Steve -

Thanks for the reply. Always looking for insight like that!

First, these are the CLEVELAND Browns. Not St. Louis. But worth looking at old newspaper etc ads.

The '46 Sears team booklet has about 33 or so players included. Yes, Yonakor is in there using the same picture. Same union print logo on the back of the booklet. In between the clarity of the PSA 'authenticated' set and the new Yonakor card. Blotched and hard to make out.

During the '46 season, the same 33 or so players appeared in game programs. All but a couple used the same image. No mention of the same union printing company in these game programs, but near the back there is an advertisement and store front picture for a local printing company that refers to itself as 'The official printing company of the Cleveland Browns'. But over the years - times change. The address given is now a near downtown nightclub (gay bar to be exact). Store front hasn't changed in 100 years, but the inside has.

My feeling is that the original 8 card set is due to 8 cards fitting on a sheet. A couple uncut sheets from the same original seller have been sold at auction in the past 5 or so years. Maybe more players were printed on different sheets??? HOFers Motley and Willis were black players. Could've been on a sheet with Yonakor and not widely produced. Lou Groza should've had a card too.

I'll try to do some better picture comparisons between the PSA, Yonakor, booklet etc. I also have saved pictures of another 8 card '46 Browns set that closely matches this Yonakor card. Notice the 2nd line on the front beginning with 'away..'

Thanks for the insight guys!